My first experience at Drug & Alcohol Services South Australia's: Woolshed Therapeutic Community Ashbourne & Mile End, South Australia - is a long complex & highly significant chapter of my life that will take some work to do justice.
Whilst I have a great deal of documentation including cards, paperwork & potentially some photo's that have great potential to serve as evidence of potential influences upon my personal development & actions leading up to "Universal Asylum" - It will likely take some time before I'm able compile them in an orderly fashion & figure out the most logical way of presenting & speaking to them for different purposes...
Although seemingly missing some cards I have provided the following with some brief comments...
I had my 22nd birthday on about day three of my arrival at the "Woolshed". The place was like a Smirf village. Everyone was so happy, loving & cheerful & they made me this beautiful card & all pretended like they gave a fuck. I remember being quiet & shy & trying to remain composed. I'd barely slept since the last time this guy who felt sorry for me gave me Xanax in Warrinilla. I was shivering & shaking, & whilst the people were frighteningly warmhearted it was fucken freezing in Ashbourne that time of year & having recently detoxed from opiates. I remember sneaking off around being the shed & behind the craft room & bursting into tears as all I wanted was a huge shot of Morphine, Heroin or anything to warm me up & numb the pain. Fortunately, I was too weak to travel & didn't even really know where I was in the state other than the middle of nowhere!
"90" Days Clean Card & Confession
Although I can't recall if it all all effected my sobriety date & the card - I'd spent the first 90days at the Woolshed eaten up with guilt due to knowing that whilst grateful for Benzo Boy's compassionate Xanax in Warrinilla taking them was technically "using". On my 90days celebration I confessed to the community that I had been dishonest about the fact that I'd taken Xanax whilst in detox & that although wilful dishonesty was wrong & against the spirit & rules of the program - that I had no other choice as I really needed to be there & was scared they wouldn't admit me.
I remember experiencing so much fear & anxiety leading up to it that they might kick me out for over it especially due to the fact that the more senior you became in the community the greater responsibility you had to lead by example & less grace you had to fuck up. However, everyone agreed that I needed to be there, accepted my explanation & commented my courage for coming clean.
Of course, after witnessing a decade of addiction - Mum & Wal were proudly supportive of my greatest attempt at recovery & also sent a card celebrating my 90day milestone...
Complexing Stage #01 of the Woolshed & off to the 1/2 Way House Card:
Card for completing 5.5 months at the Woolshed & celebrating moving onto the next stage at their 1/2way house just outside the CBD in Mile End South Australia
365 Days Aka 12 Months or 1 Year Clean Card:
2 Years Clean Card:
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